And so I was saying...

Ok, so I took a pause...Thursday night I had some of the girls from my YL Camp Cabin over for a sleepover. So needless to say, Friday I was tired! They are such a great group of girls. Anywho...

So, the next day at camp we had water olympics. We split into colored teams (we were red) and did things like sandcastle competitions, kayaking races, water balloons slingshot, zip line races, log wars, sink the canoe, inter tube wars, synchronized swimming, etc...

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING COMPETITIONRED TEAM SANDCASTLE RED (AFT) GROUP
"Blindman" KAYAK RACES
We ate lunch outside like we did several days at camp. This day we didn't have any other activities planned for our cabin, so we got to enjoy some free time. I got to have some one on one time getting to know some of the girls, which was nice, and I learned how to make hemp bracelets at the bead stand on the beach. I also did some shopping at the camp store.

That evening we went to club as usual. The speaker talked about how our stories are 'messed up'. Our stories aren't as they should be, for us or the world. That we are not alone, but we are not exempt. God does care. The speaker also talked about the similarities of guys to Jesus, and girls to Jesus. Sorry, I only paid attention to how us girls are similar. (I wish I'd taken notes!!) What he said was one of the coolest things I've heard. He said that girls/women want to be fully known but never figured out, just like Jesus. We talked about this in our cabin time and what that meant. I think it's a beautiful statement. To me it speaks to how He wants us to pursue Him, to always seek and long to know Him, to question and consider more and more. But I don't think we as humans in our limited understanding will ever, in this life, fully figure Him out. I love that. That means we won't ever stop trying.

In cabin time, the group was a little more talkative. It was great to see the wheels turning and the questions that were being asked.

We played Zoo that night. I am terrible at Zoo. It was hilarious though, I laughed so hard I was literally crying, and they made fun of me. Which was also pretty funny too.

In the Devotional we got as leaders each morning, there was a great story to do with everything we'd be learning and experiencing that day at camp:

"Before meeting the disciples on the boat, Jesus is alone on the mountain. He walks down slowly-grinning after listening to the affectionate words from his father and soaking up the stillness after a day crowded with people and noise. His eyes sparkle as God stirs the wind and sprinkles refreshing drops of rain onto his face through the evergreen boughs. Jesus probably loves walking on the water the way I love walking on the beach in a storm. The fury of the wind and water careen ecstatically about, but he doesn't feel scared, just exhilarated by nature swirling through the air at his feet. He is dancing in the waves while the disciples cower in fear. Peter senses this wild peace as Jesus approaches: "Don't be afraid," Jesus laughs as he sees the stricken faces and hears a barely audible whisper, "It's a ghost from the quaking boat." "It's only me." Peter, scared as the rest but intrigued by the peace in the Voice stutters through fear, "Jesus, if it's really you, ask me to come dance on the water." "Come dance with me," answers Jesus. So Peter steps off the boat onto the whirling, raging dance floor. He looks into Jesus' eyes, letting him lead the first steps on the water, and for a few miraculous moments, they dance. Amazed at the wilderness of the dance, Peter looks away just as the sea and sky and fish dance more fiercely to welcome him to the revelry. Fear grips him as he begins to sink, realizing his feet are anchored on nothing but mystery, moving to a rhythm he doesn't yet understand - though nature seems to know the same song that coursed through him in the beginning, which frightens and excites him all the more. "Lord, save me!" he cries and looks up to find the playful eyes of the One he has come to love but not understand. "Why did you doubt?" Jesus smiles as he reaches down for Peter's frigid hand and pulls him gently into the boat. "We could have danced all night." The storm slows its dance to the rhythm of the waves lapping a lullaby against the small boat. Disciples look in awe on the peaceful, smiling One and their friend who is beginning to never recover form a taste of the dance. "Truly you are the Son of God," they mutter. "No one else could dance like that..." (Caroline McKinney in Storm)

Verse to Ponder: Matthew 14: 27 (TNIV) But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."